Nightflying - The Entertainment Guide

After a tremendous kick-off last year, the second annual Steel Horse Rally is gearing up to do it again. The rally has become extremely popular with the community, and the good folks of the Fort have made great plans for the arrival of hundreds of bikers to once again roll into Fort Smith on the last weekend of April, bringing Jackyl and many other bands into town for a gala event.

Doors open at 1 p.m. and on Friday when Juni Moon takes the stage at 4 p.m., .357 goes onstage at 6 p.m., Hillbilly Vegas takes the stage at 8 p.m. and Jackyl takes the stage around 10 p.m.

Known from the popular reality TV show Full Throttle Saloon, Jackyl and lead vocalist Jesse Dupree bring their unforgettable chainsaw-cutting rock experience to Fort Smith. Plus, enjoy beverages from the Steel Horse Rally Handle Bar and world class tattoos by world class tattoos artists at the Tattoo Alley at the Steel Horse Rally.

Advance Tickets are general admission and are available online on this web page for a minimum donation of $15 per ticket. Tickets will be $20 at the door.

All proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Steel Horse Rally Inc., which helps several local charities. Jackyl tickets are now available at two Steel Horse Rally sponsors that are official ticket outlets: Old Fort Harley-Davidson and Simply Couture in Fort Smith. Old Fort Harley-Davidson is located 6304 South 36th Street in Fort Smith, which is just off Exit 11 and I-540. They are open Monday through Saturday.

Tickets are available from 10 a.m. 'til 6 p.m. at the Motor Clothes Desk. Tickets are also available at Simply Couture at 305 Garrison Ave. Fort Smith. The store is open Monday thru Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Tickets are available for at minimum donation of $15, but please feel free to donate more as this money will be used to help the rally and the charities: Fort Smith Children's Emergency Shelter - Independent Learning Program, Hannah House, Earthbound Angels, the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center, and the Fort Smith Museum of History. Tickets at both of these store locations are cash or check only. Please make checks payable to the Steel Horse Rally Inc. Tickets are also available online on this website by clicking the Jackyl Tickets button and paying using credit card or a PayPal account. Tickets purchased online can be picked up at the Will Call window at the Fort Smith Convention Center the day of the show by presenting a valid photo I.D.

Jackyl brings a wild, untamed and uncouth approach to rock 'n' roll. Equal parts hard rock, heavy metal and Southern rock, Jackyl formed in 1991 and brought back rock 'n' roll back - back to its down-to-earth, wild, fun-loving origins. Full of spit and swagger - and a "dirty" sense of humor to boot - Jackyl quickly earned a deal with Geffen Records. Jackyl's live shows were already legendary before the ink dried on the Geffen contract.

The 1992 self-titled debut album went platinum and featured notable rock radio hits like "Down On Me," "When Will It Rain," "I Stand Alone" and, most notably, "The Lumberjack," during which vocalist Jesse James Dupree performed a chain-saw solo. Dupree's chain-saw escapades on album and in concert became one of many Jackyl trademarks. With the release of Jackyl, the band hit the road and barely left it since. Just long enough to record new albums. Touring mates in those early days included Aerosmith, Kiss, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Damn Yankees. 1993 saw "Mental *@%.!" featured on The Beavis & Butt-head Experience, a compilation album of songs tied in with MTV's hit cartoon series; it was eventually certified triple platinum. 1994 was one of the most important years in the band's career. The second album, Push Comes To Shove, hit the streets and went gold.

That August, Jackyl turned in one of the most acclaimed performances at Woodstock '94 in Saugerties, NY, and the resulting double album Woodstock 94 went platinum and included "Headed For Destruction" (a track from Push Comes To Shove). The live recording Night Of The Living Dead was released exclusively in Europe on Mayhem Records in 1996.

It wasn't long before Jackyl followed A&R legend John Kalodner (who had signed them to Geffen) to Sony Music's imprint Epic Records. Cut the Crap was released in 1997 and benefited from two industry heavyweights overseeing its recording: producer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica) and mixer Kevin Shirley (silverchair, Aerosmith). This album spawned the rock radio hit "Locked and Loaded," which included guest vocals by AC/DC's Brian Johnson. It was the first time Johnson had ever recorded with any artist but AC/DC since he joined the band 17 years earlier. A collection of B-sides titled Stayin' Alive appeared on Shimmering Tone Records in 1998 but the biggest highlight of the year was Geffen's release of the best-of collection Choice Cuts and the related promotional events Jackyl did to help promote it.

Making and Breaking Records:

The band earned two Guinness Book of World Records citations and the designation "The Hardest Working Band in Rock 'N' Roll" for performing 100 shows in 50 days as well as 21 shows in 24 hours. Dupree says the most grueling of the two was 21 shows in 24 hours…Jackyl completed that task in Texas, and the shows were all done with full lights and sound. The daytime sets were 45 minutes long whereas the ones done at nighttime were between 90 and 120 minutes long. Jackyl released Relentless on Humidity Records in 2002. It contained the second collaboration with Brian Johnson, "Kill the Sunshine."

Universal Music/Geffen Records also issued a Jackyl volume as part of its acclaimed 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection best-of series in 2003.

For a band that built its reputation as road warriors, it's surprising that a full-length live album meant for worldwide release did not appear until 2004 with the separate release of the Live at the Full Throttle Saloon CD and DVD on Sanctuary Records. Live at the Full Throttle Saloon was recorded and filmed in summer 2003 in Sturgis, South Dakota, as part of the legendary annual biker rally festivities held there.

Steel Horse Rally Vendor Village opens Friday afternoon. The larger Vendor Village located in the parking lot near the 800 block of Garrison Ave., will have vendors from more than two dozen states, offering a wide variety of merchandise, food and beverages. From incredible leather good to engraved jewelry and from loaded nachos to cheesecake on a stick, there's something for everyone at the Steel Horse Rally.

The Steel Horse Rally Vendor Village will be open Friday afternoon and Saturday all day.

Live Music continues at 1 p.m. with Vertical Groove Saturday, April 30th at 1 p.m. at the Fort Smith Convention Center Vertical Groove takes the stage. Following Vertical Groove's performance, there will be a break from the music so people can line-up for the 2nd Annual Steel Horse Rally Thunder through the Valley Motorcycle Parade. There is no cover charge, however, donations to the Steel Horse Rally Inc. help charity, are appreciated, and are tax deductible.

Tattoo Alley at the Steel Horse Rally opens Friday evening inside the Fort Smith Convention Center. See some of the best tattoo artists in the country, featuring world class tattoos from world class tattoo artists.

The Steel Horse Rally Handle Bar reopens Saturday at time TBA for those (age 21 & up). No cover charge on Saturday (just have a valid I.D.). Enjoy live music and enjoy exquisite libations assembled by expert mixologists, all while enjoying the ambiance of this unique bar.

Dedication of the General William O. Darby Statue Saturday, April 30th will happen at 10 a.m. at Cisterna Plaza (near Garrison Ave. and 10th St.) The Steel Horse Rally is honored to be a small part of helping the Darby Legacy Project with making the statue of Fort Smith native, Gen. William O. Darby a reality. The bricks inscribed at the base of the statue were sold as a fundraiser for the project. The bronze state will be dedicated and unveiled during this very special ceremony. (Image courtesy of the Darby Legacy Project & Fort Smith Museum of History)

The 2nd Annual Public Guardians Poker Run

Friday, April 29 at 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM; First bike out at Noon at Old Fort Harley-Davidson, 6304 S. 36th St., Fort Smith $20 per hand with prizes for best and worst hands. Extra cards may be purchased at the finish line for $5 each.